Bucket Lists (Movie Watch Lists) | Movie Review & Film Analysis

The select films below are sure to ruffle some feathers

(CLICK THE MOVIE TITLES FOR LINKS ON WHERE TO WATCH)

There is currently a push to censor and revise history, especially Black History, within the United States. Just last month a shocking decision was made to remove a slavery exhibit from a Philadelphia historic site. Attempting to remove history from the birthplace of America, my hometown, was a bold move to say the least. However, there have been many other egregious acts that have occurred in recent years, including book bans.

If history and books are not safe from censorship, then films are not far behind. Below is a list of Black culture watches that could easily find themselves to be the target of a banned list.

Now, I’m not saying to watch all of these films in a day, or even a week; but it’s more important than ever to recognize the significance of all of these films and tv shows.

Amistad (1997)

One of the most difficult movies I’ve ever watched with one of the most graphic displays of the horrors of the Middle Passage. Very necessary scenes for those who try to downplay what Africans endured as they spent countless days in crowded ships full of illness and inhumane torture. One of the most troubling scenes in this movie is the realistic display of people being thrown overboard for “economic purposes.”

This is surely a part of history that some would love to hide or ignore, but more so, they may also want to hide the fact that Amistad is about a slave revolt that led to a U.S. Supreme court case in 1841.

The Birth of a Nation (2016)

So much drama came with this film…For one, the title. Taking the title from the original film, which is about the KKK, was interesting to say the least. The movie seemed very promising but quickly struggled as Nate Parker’s controversial past of SA came to light around release time.

Before The Birth of a Nation (2016) , Parker seemed to have been taking off with big roles in movies such as The Great Debaters, Red Tails, and Beyond the Lights (all great watches for Black History month btw as well). After a failed box office, Parker seemed to disappear. He has been in very few projects since and people seem to easily forget about the 2016 film as well.

Some people considered Parker’s response to his past as non-apologetic, which surely didn’t help to support the film. In addition, the fact that the movie is about a slave rebellion didn’t sit well with some folks as well.

I don’t blame anyone for refusing to support this movie on the basis of Parker’s past. It’s a personal decision, and it was difficult for me to decide to watch it as well. Full warning that Armie Hammer is also in the movie (also has a controversial past including SA) and the writer Jean McGianni Celestin was part of the same crime with Nate Parker’s case. Parker was found innocent, and Celestin was not. I recommend reading up on the case to come to your own conclusions, as there’s much surrounding the case itself.

I will say, there are a lot of other stars in the movie that did an excellent job in this film including Aja Naomi King, Gabrielle Union, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, and Colman Domingo. I appreciate Nat Turner’s story being made into a film, as it is a part of history that is not always told; especially the portion of what was done to him.

It is a dark and troubling story, but one that doesn’t often get shared for various reasons.

12 Years a Slave (2013)

The story of Solomon Northup shook the world when 12 Years a Slave was released in 2013. This true story of a free man who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in 1841 was unbelievable. His journey is brutal and traumatic as we witnessed his different experiences between slave masters.

Solomon’s story also highlights the abuse of a woman named Patsey, who is a slave on Epp’s plantation. She endures abuse from both Epps and his wife, who is jealous of the “attention” that Patsey receives from Epps.

Patsey’s whipping is one of the worst I’ve ever seen on screen, and makes me physically sick to my stomach each time.

This movie will seriously make anyone question how humans could treat others this way and look at them as property.

Malcolm X (1992)

One of my favorite films of all time, and a solidified pick for my Letterboxd’s Top 4. I can’t count the number of times I’ve had so many conversations with others about Malcolm X and the amount of people who automatically deemed him as a racist, violent, or crazy man who hated anyone who wasn’t Black. I’m sure this is how some would like him to be remembered, but knowing his full story will show people the true man that Malcolm was.

Malcolm spent his life trying to find the right path for himself and African Americans. There was so much pain and learning during his journey, and by the end of the film I can guarantee you will look at Malcom X differently if you believed that he was simply a hateful man. May he R.I.P.

Rosewood (1997)

How many times have Black towns and communities been destroyed? We’ll likely never know, and that fact alone is daunting. Imagine being told to go “pull yourself up by your bootstraps”, and when you do it, all that you’ve built is destroyed in an instant.

Rosewood is an overlooked gem by one of my favorite directors, John Singleton and surrounds the story of the Rosewood Massacre of 1923. A predominantly African American town is destroyed after a Black man is accused of assaulting a White woman. We’ve heard this story before, but Singleton does a great job of showing how incidents like this have a terrifying chain reaction for violence and murder.

THEM (Season 1/ 2021)

When THEM season 1 released in 2021 it was undoubtedly shocking. I actually had to take breaks in-between watching episodes as I did not expect the story to be as intense as it was. Still, I believe that it was a great story.

There was a lot of backlash dismissing the series as “trauma porn” and attacks on Lena Waithe for displaying racial violence in the horror series. I was a bit baffled because although it was really troubling, was it not realistic?

The story is about a black family that moves from North Carolina to an all white neighborhood in East Compton ( I can’t believe Compton used to be a suburban all white neighborhood!) in 1953. Each family member faces personal battles with racism in home, school, school, work and everyday life. In addition, there are also supernatural elements that haunt the family. It's a very dark watch, but a great watch in regards to thinking about African Americans’ experiences of trying to just build a safe comfortable home in this country.

13th (2016)

I’ve mentioned the 13th documentary multiple times now, and I stand by it being one of the best documentaries I’ve ever watched. The connection of slavery to prison labor is deeply disturbing, but an honest look on what has made this country the powerful rich nation that it is today.

When They See Us (2019)

Many viewers have watched this Ava Duvernay series on The Central Park Five and refused to ever watch it again. I don’t blame them. Years before this amazing series was created, I learned about the story from the documentary and it haunted me for years.

All of the actors and DuVernay worked so hard to humanize all the boys and their families; and they did excellent. Watching the documentary was one thing, but seeing the personal experiences of each boy adds so much depth to the story. It's a hard look at how a system treats young boys of color, even when they are innocent of a crime. Similar stories include Nickel Boys and Time: The Kalief Browder Story.

I watched this again about a year ago and felt even more pain than the first watch. It may be a while before I do another watch, but I pray that his series never goes away.

Pose (Series Started in 2018)

Pose is a show that changed my perspective on everything related to LGBTQ+ Ballroom Culture. The show has so many happy and fun moments, but there’s also so much pain. It essentially highlights a group of people who were ignored by the world in 80’s NYC, and they still found a way to scream “I’m Here!”

Pose highlights the resilience and love that LGBTQ+ Ballroom families and friends found amongst each other (even when they were fighting), despite systemic racism, homophobia, transphobia, the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and homelessness .

There is a very special appreciation for the representation of Trans people in the show, as they are often very overlooked both inside and outside of the LGBTQ+ community. Pose is a beautiful show that brings more light to Trans people of color’s experiences in the 80s.

The Hate U Give (2018)

One of the most modern films that still depicts racial struggles in current times. What makes this film stand out to me is that it’s specifically aimed at a younger audience. It is also based on a book that frequently finds itself on banned book lists.

Let me be frank, this can be a sad watch but it’s still appropriate for young readers in their teens. Stating that this story creates divisiveness is just another ploy to hide the reality of experiences that make people “uncomfortable.” Hiding stories like this doesn’t help children and teens against prejudice; it just makes them ignorant to it. Young readers should know stories like this from all backgrounds so that they can understand how to create a better future.

Can you think of any black culture watches that would make a banned list? Let me know.

Thanks for reading.

A. Monique

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